This volume gathers three exemplary works by Arnold Bennett, each illuminating a different facet of his art. Buried Alive is a deft comic satire of identity, celebrity, and social pretension; The Old
This volume gathers three exemplary works by Arnold Bennett, each illuminating a different facet of his art. Buried Alive is a deft comic satire of identity, celebrity, and social pretension; The Old Wives' Tale is Bennett's broadest realist achievement, tracing the divergent lives of two sisters against the changing textures of provincial and European life; and The Card offers a brisk, ironic portrait of ambition and charm in the Potteries. Together they display Bennett's lucid prose, narrative patience, and humane attention to ordinary existence, placing him firmly within Edwardian realism while revealing his affinities with Balzac and Flaubert. Arnold Bennett (1867–1931), born in Hanley, Staffordshire, drew deeply on the industrial towns of the Potteries, transforming their streets, shops, and social hierarchies into a durable fictional world. His early legal and journalistic work sharpened his eye for bureaucracy, commerce, and public reputation, while his years in London and Paris widened his artistic range. These experiences help explain his fascination with self-making, social mobility, and the quiet drama of everyday lives. Readers seeking fiction at once accessible, intelligent, and historically resonant will find this collection especially rewarding. It offers comedy, realism, and social observation in generous measure, making it an ideal introduction to Bennett's enduring achievement.This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.- A comprehensive Introduction outlines these selected works' unifying features, themes, or stylistic evolutions.- A Historical Context section situates the works in their broader era—social currents, cultural trends, and key events that underpin their creation.- A concise Synopsis (Selection) offers an accessible overview of the included texts, helping readers navigate plotlines and main ideas without revealing critical twists.- A unified Analysis examines recurring motifs and stylistic hallmarks across the collection, tying the stories together while spotlighting the different work's strengths.- Reflection questions inspire deeper contemplation of the author's overarching message, inviting readers to draw connections among different texts and relate them to modern contexts.- Lastly, our hand‐picked Memorable Quotes distill pivotal lines and turning points, serving as touchstones for the collection's central themes.
